This post lists some mobile phones that are focused on privacy by design and it is its primary goal.
Because to ensure privacy you need to rely on the operating system running on the smartphone, smartphones focused on privacy will opt for full free and open source (FOSS) solutions. This is why they usually run Linux-based system instead of popular proprietary OSs that recollect user data, like Android or iPhone.
List of Smartphones focused on Privacy
The mobile phones featured on this post are:
- PinePhone
- Librem
- Volla Phone
PinePhone
PinePhone is a smartphone developed by Hongkongese company Pine64.
PinePhone comes as default with OS Manjaro pre-installed and user interface Plasma Mobile (based on KDE Plasma).
Nevertheless, it is compatible with all major Linux phone projects, for instance:
- Ubuntu Touch
- postmarketOS
- Manjaro
- LuneOS
- Sailfish OS
It is not backed by Free Software Foundation (FSF) because it requires proprietary closed-source components (or “binary blobs”) for the following components to run FSF-approved OS:
- WiFi/Bluetooth
- Modem
- Camera autofocus firmware
This is explained on this external link and this external link.
Librem
Librem is a a family of portable devices developed by American company Purism.
Librem 5 is a smartphone that was released in 2020. Its default operating system is PureOS, and user interface Phosh, both developed by Purism.
There is a Libre 5 USA edition that is assembled inside the USA.
As of 2023, it is the only mobile phone approved by the Free Software Foundation (FSF).
Volla Phone
Volla Phones are developed by German company Volla.
The phones are pre-installed with VollaOS or Ubuntu Touch.
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External references
- Wikipedia; “List of open-source mobile phones“; Wikipedia
- F-Droid Forum Users; “Privacy on phone“; F-Droid
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